Michigan State vs. Iowa Prediction, Odds & Expert Picks Tonight: Our Best Bets & Score Projections

March has arrived, and so has Michigan State’s momentum. Tom Izzo’s Spartans (24-5, 15-3 Big Ten) are peaking at the perfect time, riding a five-game win streak into Thursday’s showdown.
They’ll hit the road to face the Iowa Hawkeyes (15-14, 6-12) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, with tipoff set for 8 p.m. ET on Fox Sports. Michigan State enters as a 6.5-point favorite.
Our Michigan State vs. Iowa prediction, odds, and expert picks break down whether the Spartans can keep rolling or if the Hawkeyes can pull off the upset at home.
📈 Michigan State vs. Iowa odds movement
Michigan State opened as a 7 to 7.5-point road favorite with the line shifting down to Spartans -6.5 as tip approaches tonight. With Izzo's team's recent dominance of the Big Ten, 66% of the public is backing Sparty to take down Iowa.
💰 Michigan State vs. Iowa predictions, expert picks & best bets tonight
Here are my best Michigan State vs. Iowa predictions, expert picks, and best bets tonight with my pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale. Be sure to check out the rest of our college basketball picks along with our guide on how to bet on college basketball.
- Against the spread pick: Michigan State -6.5 (-112 via DraftKings) vs. Iowa ⭐⭐
- My best player prop bet: Payton Sandfort Under 2.5 made 3-pointers (-150 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Exact score prediction: Michigan State 82, Iowa 72 (+15000 via DraftKings) ⭐
🏀 Michigan State vs. Iowa ATS prediction & best player prop bet pick
Here's why I'm betting on Michigan State to cover the spread (-6.5) while targeting Payton Sandfort Under 2.5 made 3-pointers as my best player prop bet pick for tonight:
✅ Michigan State to cover the spread (-6.5) ⭐⭐
This line has climbed up to -7 at most of our best sports betting sites, so it’s worth grabbing the current line before it’s too late. Most college basketball projection systems expect the Spartans to cover this number:
There is some quit potential with the Hawkeyes after losing four of their past five and seven of their last nine outings. There is a chance the Spartans roll on Thursday, especially after covering the spread in five straight games.
📊 Best odds: -112 via DraftKings (bet $10 to win $8.93)
🔥 Payton Sandfort ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Iowa forward Payton Sandfort has hit two 3-pointers over his past three games, attempting 15 shots over that span. However, a matchup against Michigan State isn’t the right time to break out of a shooting slump.
The Spartans are fourth in defensive 3-point percentage, allowing opponents to shoot 28.2% from long range. They have the fifth-ranked defensive efficiency in the country.
This line is as high as -170 at our best sports betting apps, indicating this bargain at bet365.
📊 Best odds: -150 via bet365 (bet $10 to win $6.67)
🎯 Expert Michigan State vs. Iowa score prediction
🔮 Expert score prediction: Michigan State 82, Iowa 72
With two games left in the regular season, it’s essential to identify which teams are playing well entering the tournament and which teams are ready for the offseason. There is a chance this game features one of each, so I expect Michigan State to cruise past Iowa for an 82-72 road victory.
📊 Best odds: +15000 via DraftKings (bet $10 to win $1,500)
📊 Live Michigan State vs. Iowa odds & latest betting splits
Here are the latest odds for Michigan State vs. Iowa, which update live in real time. You can also check out our NEW college basketball player prop odds tool for the latest college basketball odds on any market across legal sportsbooks in your region.
🔢 Michigan State vs. Iowa opening odds
Here's a look at the opening odds for Michigan State vs. Iowa according to BetMGM.
- Spread: Michigan State -7.5 (-105) | Iowa +7.5 (-115)
- Moneyline: Michigan State -300 | Iowa +240
- Over/Under: Over 151.5 (-110) | Under 151.5 (-110)
🏆 Who will win Michigan State vs. Iowa?
As of 9:15 a.m. ET, Michigan State is favored by 6.5 points to beat Iowa with moneyline odds of -285 at BetMGM, which suggests a 74.3% win probability for the Spartans. We're predicting an 82-72 win for Michigan State as our final score projection.
So far, 68% of bettors have wagered against the spread on Michigan State -6.5, while 51% of bettors expect the game to finish Over the projected total of 151.5 points.
📺 How to watch Michigan State vs. Iowa tonight
📅 Date: Thursday, March 6, 2025
🕗 Time: 8 p.m. ET
📍 Location: Carver-Hawkeye Arena (Iowa City)
📺 TV: Fox Sports
💻 Streaming: Fox Sports App
❓ Michigan State vs. Iowa FAQs
Who is favored to win Michigan State vs. Iowa?
Michigan State is -285 to win, translating to an implied probability of 74.3%.
What are the betting odds for Michigan vs. Iowa?
The latest spread is Michigan State -6.5 (-115) | Iowa +6.5 (-105), with a total of 151.5 points.
What will be the final score of Michigan State vs. Iowa?
We're predicting a final score of Michigan State 82, Iowa 72, entering tonight's matchup at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
What time is Michigan State vs. Iowa tonight?
Michigan State vs. Iowa will begin tonight at 8 p.m. ET.
⛹️ Best college basketball betting sites
Looking to bet on college basketball tonight? Here are our best March Madness betting sites as determined by our expert team at Sportsbook Review, along with our best March Madness betting promos ahead of the NCAA Tournament.
- Caesars Promo Code: SBRBONUSDYW | Read our Caesars Review
- BetMGM Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our BetMGM Review
- bet365 Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our bet365 Review
- FanDuel Promo Code | Read our FanDuel Review
- DraftKings Promo Code | Read our DraftKings Review
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* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.
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